Many vehicle seats such as those used in boats include a swiveling or rotatable seat mount coupled to a post and base assembly in the boat. A swiveling or rotatable seat mount enables a seated vehicle occupant to rotate their seat to a desired position, which typically occurs when the vehicle is relatively stationary to enable, for example, an operator of the vehicle (e.g., a driver) to adjust the position of their seat for use of vehicle controls, comfort, safety, etc.
Typically, vehicle seat swivel or rotation mechanisms are operated via a lever or other similar mechanical member that is directly or rigidly coupled to the rotatable seat mount. Additionally, the lever or other member for operating the seat swivel or rotation mechanism is typically located in close proximity to the seat and its swivel or rotation mechanism so that a seated vehicle occupant can easily operate the rotation mechanism. For example, in the case of boats, a lever for operating (e.g., locking/unlocking) the seat swivel or rotation mechanism is often located near the right or left side of the seat bottom.
The above-noted direct and proximate relationship between the rotation mechanism control (e.g., lever) results in a relatively low overall seat cost and provides a relatively high degree of occupant safety. In particular, such known mechanical rotation controls use relatively few parts that are unlikely to bind, seize, or otherwise impede the return of the rotation mechanism to a locked condition following an adjustment by the occupant. Leaving a seat in an unlocked condition is unsafe for operation of the vehicle and could, for example, significantly increase the likelihood of injury to an occupant during an accident (e.g., a collision).
Unfortunately, in the case of boats, for example, some seat pedestals or mounting posts are relatively short (e.g., less than eight inches), which may significantly limit the permissible length of the operating lever for the swivel or rotational locking mechanism. In particular, a lever that extends near to the outer edge of the seat bottom is easier for a seat occupant to reach and operate. However, a longer lever requires more vertical space in which to actuate and travel. As a result, for those seats having relatively short mounting posts or pedestals, a lever that operates (i.e., unlocks the locking mechanism) when moved downward must be made relatively shorter and, thus, may have to be disposed substantially inward from the edge of the seat bottom making it more difficult for the seat occupant to reach and operate the lever.
In the case of an operating lever that operates (i.e., unlocks the locking mechanism) when moved upward, the lever must be made short enough to ensure that the free end (i.e., the end actuated by the seat occupant) of the lever does not contact the seat bottom before the unlocked condition is achieved, which would prevent unlocking of the swivel or rotational mechanism.